Silver Millennium Life Bonds
Rocky Oberlin
Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I really haven't given up anything for Lent, but I can say this. "I never had and probably never will have ownership of Sailor Moon or Ronin Warriors." Thank you and enjoy the story. ; )

There is some swearing in this chapter. Could consider this PG-13.

Sage was beyond furious. Next to him Lita seethed and crackled with sparks. "When I get my hands on that poor excuse for a prince, he'll be spread to the four winds," growled the Sun prince.

"Then I'll blast him to tiny bits," added Lita.

"If you feel that way about it, then how about joining me on my quest?" asked a humor-filled voice. The pair turned to see the Guardian standing half in and half out of a wall in the maze. She held out her right hand to the Sun prince and Jovian princess like she was going to pull them through the wall. "Well, what are you waiting for, an engraved invitation? Chaos and Endymion are waiting with Serena and Rowen."

The pair grabbed the ghost's arm and was pulled through the wall with a mighty tug. On the other side stood Haruka and the four warlords. Each looked ready to kill something and in the princess of Uranus' case, she was spitting out quiet swear words. Seckmet once in a while added a few to the mix.

"Where are the others?" asked Lita.

"We're still looking for them," said Anubis. "Windy is basically our radar when we come close. We found Haruka on the way to finding the two of you."

"So we are down three more Sailors, three Ronins, and an Ancient," summed up Sage. "Where are they?"

"Patience, prince," said Windy. "I have to find their sparks to find them. In this place it can take a while. Chaos is making the place a little static-y for me to find them properly."

"Are we just going to sit here while you find our friends?" asked Lita bitterly.

Windy shook her head as she started to walk forward away from the castle. "No, I can do this while we walk. It helps a little in finding them anyway."

"Why are we walking away from the castle?" asked Haruka.

"Because that way will lead us into a part of the maze that would give even the Lady Guardian trouble," said Dais. "That was where Tulpa had us lead the Ronins when they last came to fight Tulpa. There are more traps and pits in that area then in a cave. We would likely be killed before even getting close to Chaos or our friends."

The small group followed Windy as she led them in round about ways through the maze. She looked almost absent while she looked at walls and the sky above. It was hearing a small girl using words that Michiru would kill Haruka for teaching her that they realized they were close to another of their members. Windy went directly to the sound and looked back at the group.

"We know, stay here," said Seckmet.

Windy nodded her head and passed through the wall. Sage wondered if she was going to do the same thing that she had done with Lita and him. At the thought of the Jovian Sailor, he glanced over to see what she was doing. Lita was looking at the castle they were retreating from with a frown on her face. He decided to see just what she was thinking now that he had calmed down a little.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked quietly.

Lita jerked from her deep thoughts and Haruka looked at the pair before shaking her head at the others in their party. This was something that should have been done before they had started in this quest.

"Nothing," sighed Lita.

"Makoto," said Sage. "Don't. I know you well enough to know that there is something on your mind. Out with it."

"It's the thought of Serena in the same castle as Endymion. She's all alone and I can't help her. I failed her so many times and yet she called me friend. Now she's gone and I have to wait to get to her. If I were younger and hadn't ruined my relationship with her like I did, then I would be charging up to that castle and blowing it to bits to find her. Now I have to temper my anger and wait until I can find the culprit that took her from me again. When I do find them, I'm gonna send so much power their way, it'll light up Tokyo and Toyama for the next twenty years."

"What if I help you?" asked Sage. "That is my best friend and my sister in there. I learned to work with him in my war and I haven't seen my sister since we were killed the first time. I want her back, too, and I'll do just about anything to get them back."

"That sounds like a plan; mind if we join you?" asked a missed voice.

Lita and Sage turned to see Ryo and Hotaru standing with Windy. The ghost was leaning against the stone wall like she was resting from a particularly hard task. The two new comers looked a little harried, but ready to fight. Hotaru was sporting another gash on her left leg from mid thigh to her boot. Ryo was only holding one of his katanas and keeping his right hand close to his chest.

"Are you okay?" asked Sage as he took in the sight of his brother in arms and new friend.

"I'll be fine when we leave this place," shrugged Ryo. "It brings back memories I really don't want to think about."

"Like sacrifices?" asked Sage quietly.

"Yeah, those and other things." Ryo turned to Hotaru. "How's your leg?"

"I'll survive," said the petite girl. "I was ready to call the Silence on that last one if Windy hadn't come."

"Oh, were you?" asked Haruka. "It sounded like you were painting the walls blue with language Michiru will blame on me. Where did you pick up some of those words anyway?" No one answered, but Cale did turn a little pink. The Sailor of Uranus arched an eyebrow at the warrior of Darkness but didn't say anything. "Any one else?"

"I think I heard Kento cursing right along with him," offered Dais.

"What were they doing that caused Hotaru to learn such words?"

"I think it was some racing game," said Windy absently. "Or it could have been some other game on that Playstation (Copyrighted) or whatever it was they were playing. See why I usually stick with cards and board games?"

"And I'm sure that you have some inventive words for when you lose too," said Hotaru as she finished healing the gash a little. She walked a bit to see if it would start bleeding again before nodding her head in satisfaction over the job.

"I don't know what you're talking about," was the absent protest. "I don't swear at games like that." The ghost frowned before starting the group in a path parallel to the east side of the castle.

"Then we didn't hear you cursing out a game on the computer the other night?" asked Sage. He and Lita followed Ryo and Hotaru to make sure there wasn't anything wrong with them from the fight they had been picked up from. Haruka walked next to her adopted daughter to keep an eye on her as well. The Warlords spread themselves out among the group to keep the back and flanks safe from sudden attacks.

"I wasn't cursing at the computer or the game," Windy admitted as she looked at the crossroads in front of her. "I was venting frustration over something that had been brought to my attention that didn't concern this particular assignment. My thoughts about my brother and what he is doing about his life shouldn't affect the mission on getting rid of Chaos and Endymion."

"Do you want to talk about it later?" asked Haruka as she watched the stiffening of the ghost's shoulders at the thought of what was going on in her private life.

"Not really. I can go "talk" to him later about his lack of common sense when I get done here. By then, I hope to have certain people ready to work out their feelings on their own and have two ready to drown you in wedding plans." Windy turned and smirked at the boyish Sailor. "I don't envy you any of that fun that will be coming."

Hotaru perked up at the mention of the wedding plans. "Are Serena and Rowen going to finally get around to planning out a wedding?" she asked excitedly.

Haruka and the Warlords groaned at the thought, but Ryo grinned in glee. He would be able to watch his friends try to work out things while Serena pouted to get her way. He would have to grab Mia and bowl of popcorn to watch the entertainment.

"What are you grinning about?" snapped Sage. "I'm sure that Mia will be wanting to talk to you about wedding plans when Serena starts up."

Ryo just grinned wider at his friend and ignored the glares shot at his back. Boy was he glad he already discussed that with Mia. They just wanted to wait to see what Sage and Rowen were going to do before they started anything. Windy looked back at the Mars prince and chuckled. May be she could request time to see Mia snagging her boyfriend. Another look amended that last thought. They would be snagging each other.

Haruka groaned. "The next thing you know, Lita will thinking up plans for Sage and then where will we be?"

Sage looked over at the tall Sailor and wished he didn't. The talk of the future brought Lita from the depression she had been in and got her thinking and starry eyed. He wondered if he should start running.

"Don't even think about it," said Windy.

Sage scowled and tried to concentrate on looking for other "Youma" that could come knocking. He didn't want to think about anything like that yet. He still had to come to terms with his past and with his present. What would his grandfather say about Makoto anyway?

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Serena wished that she could scream or cry or do something other then sit there and stare at the four walls. She wasn't as ditzy as she acted; she knew she was trapped in a dark dungeon and crying wasn't going to get her out. She just wished that she knew how to pick locks. Then may be she could get out of her cell and find Rowen. Then she would find her old boyfriend and Chaos so she could send them packing for the final time. She wanted normalcy, dang it!

"Welcome, Cosmos," whispered that hated voice. Chaos was going to try talking to her again. "Do you like your arrangement?"

Serena considered not talking. She also considered telling Chaos where to go, but she didn't think that it was possible. She hoped that Windy would be able to get rid of it for good when she kicked its nonexistent butt up around its nonexistent ears. "Should I? I kinda liked it when I was with my friends in the Mortal Realm."

"Now why would you like it there? Would it be because of a certain blue haired Earth prince?"

Serena felt like Chaos was coiling around her shoulders. It made her skin crawl and she shuddered. She wished that Rowen were here with her. Or may be they weren't there at all and it was some horrible dream. One she would wake up from and still have her new friends and love. They would talk about her dream and laugh about how silly she was being. The rough rock against her back and the rotten smell in her cell convinced her that it was all too real.

"What did you do to Rowen?" screamed the Moon Princess. "Where is he?!"

"Someplace safe," soothed Chaos. "I wouldn't want any harm coming to him before the right time, now wouldn't I?"

"Bring him back!" demanded Serena.

"Not yet Cosmos," answered Chaos. "I still have plans for you and your prince. I'm sure that Endymion would love to have you see him kill his own brother before he claims you forever."

Serena felt the slimy presence of Chaos leave her. She would be strong, she wouldn't cry. She would find a way of saving her friends and love.

The Princess of the Moon and Guardian of the Cosmos felt tears come down her cheeks.

At least she wasn't wailing, was the sour, humorous thought. Raye couldn't complain about that.

More tears fell from her eyes.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Rowen was pissed. He was beyond pissed; he was seeing red. He wanted his half brother and Chaos right there in front of him and he would unleash an Arrow Shockwave so powerful they would be blown across ten dimensions before landing. The bounces would add another six before they stopped. Yep, that sounded good to the Strata Ronin.

"Enjoying yourself, Earth prince?" oozed a slimy voice.

Rowen looked around his cell. There wasn't anyone at the door so it couldn't be his creep half brother and Cale and Dais are on their side now, so it couldn't be them. "Where are you?" he yelled. "Why don't you come out where I can see you?"

The voice laughed a slithering laugh. "I am out. You just can't see me," it chuckled. "You don't know how to see me."

"And I'm sure I don't want to know," snarled Rowen. "I wouldn't be any better then Endymion if I did."

"Now that's not true," protested the voice. "I would make so much better then your foolish half brother. I would make you like my old servant Galaxia. You would be all powerful."

"Not interested," snapped the Strata Ronin. "I have all I want and when I get out of here I plan on seeing you sent back to the pit in Hell you crawled from."

"And live happily ever after with your princess, I'm sure," snickered the voice. "What if she doesn't want you after all this. Her old boyfriend did dump her pretty harshly. You could just be the rebound. When she feels better, she'll find someone who is worth her. And you'll be left in the dust."

This sounded familiar to Rowen. He thought it every night when Serena was sleeping and he was alone. When she was with him, the thoughts all disappeared, but when he was alone in his room with Ryo, White Blaze, and Sage sleeping, it kept him up at night. Doubts assailed the Air Ronin with the darkness fell and he couldn't sleep.

Then something else made its way into his memory. They followed on the tracks of the doubts and up-rooted them like a gardener weeding a beautiful garden. She isn't going to leave you at any time, it whispered. This love is forever. If one dies, then the other will follow soon. I have seen it before and will likely see it again.

Rowen had gone to the ghost about his doubts and insecurities. She had him sit down and then asked him questions that demanded truthful answers to, not polite platitudes. Then she pulled a book from a bookshelf she had been stacking and opened it to a page. She began to start reading from the book to him exactly what he had said to answer her questions. She had looked up at him then and said, "This passage I just read to you describes what a lifebond is. It goes on further to say that lifebonds don't leave their other half except in death. Few have the will or strength to survive a separation like that. I don't think that you will be loosing Serena any time soon. I would get used to her if I were you."

"Go to Hell," said Rowen.

"What?" asked the voice, startled.

"You heard me. I don't think Serena is going to leave me any time soon. Go find something else to do, like stand in front of a firing squad, Chaos. I have better things to do then listen to you."

"And what would be that? You are stuck in a dungeon cell with no way out."

"Trying to find a way out of a supposed "no way out" cell. See ya later Chaos." Rowen ignored any more of the promises and threats from the voice. Even if Chaos did something, he had faith that Windy or her God would be able to fix it. After all, He was supposed to have risen from the dead. Rowen was sure that He could fix something Chaos broke.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"Such faith you have in me, Rowen," whispered Windy. "It's refreshing." She glanced at the growing number of warriors with her. All they had to do was find Lady Kayura and Setsuna and they would have the complete set other then Rowen and Serena.

"Kento, how did you survive on your own if you're having trouble with this," called Cye.

"I didn't have something like this attacking me when I was alone," yelled back Kento.

"Don't kill it," protested Michiru. "It's just a tree."

"You didn't tell her what kind did you?" asked Anubis to Cale.

"Nope. And I didn't tell them how to get Hardrock out either."

"We are in for a long afternoon," sighed Sage.

"Very long," agreed Windy. "I give it ten more minutes. Then Ryo or I is going to toast it."

"Sounds good to me," agreed Ryo.

Crash.

"May be we won't have to."

"Let's make sure no one else gets caught in the tree, Ryo, before we make that assumption."
Heh, look what deciding to sit down and write can do for you? And it's out "early". Hooray for me. I'm sure you would like me to do something like this more often. We'll see; can't make promises. Rocky.